


New Kings

by Voidmancer



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 20:52:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11216064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voidmancer/pseuds/Voidmancer
Summary: Ryder's meditations on love, and how a certain informant has him asking all sorts of questions— as well as getting some answers on the subject.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Began as a character study of Sloane Kelly, because I completely thought it was a bit dumb on her part, until I came across some suggestions that she and Kaetus were an item. Then it clicked and related to my Ryder a lot with how he views his relationship with Reyes. 
> 
> This is going to be told in drabble-ish formats. Aaand of course would feature sexy times later.

The concept of love had always been unfamiliar to Ryder. It was no more special than other abstract concepts like the meaning of one's existence, the specifics of time and space or even values like courage and loyalty, and certainly not quite so unfathomable. And yet it came to mind then and there at the most unexpected of times.

What he knew about love came from his parents and the scant information he had in his head came to only two specific points. One, he knew from his mom, loving someone didn't mean they were always going to be around. Two, he knew from his dad, love made people do incredible, impossible things.

But this—now—in Sloane's empty throne room, Ryder also realized point two had an addendum. Love sometimes made people do incredibly crazy things.

No guards surrounded the mighty queen today. Here in the empty hall sat Sloane, the very picture of the ironic phrase 'anxious calm' and it took only the mention of the name 'Kaetus' to put Ryder's perspective into things at a much clearer vantage.

"The Charlatan used my own people to beat up Kateus. He's alive. Barely." Sloane's even voice could have betrayed her concern. 

And it was easy to miss, but it didn't meant it wasn't there, because little escaped Ryder's notice. A single touch onto the turian's chest, a fuzzy memory he no longer even remembered when, said more than words could ever put. Not that it had ever been his business, but he understood now why he was callled in, even as he never paid Sloane the due respect she had expected of him the moment he set foot in Kadara.

Panic. Desperation. Those things borne out of love and incredulity. Now she needed him, enough to do a vague impression of begging. 

"The Charlatan left a note on Kaetus's body," the faint furrow of her brow betrayed the steadiness of her tone. "He wants to "settle things" between us. Meeting spot is in Draullir."

"It could be a trap," Ryder said, stating the obvious for lack of better things to say as he mulled his options. 

"You think? I can't trust my own people, but you—you're an outsider." Sloane snorted softly, as if she has already seen the outcome of this all. "And good in a fight."

There was something to be said about how Sloane's idea and only option of a neutral party in this world of crooks was an Initiative Pathfinder. That alone said too many things about Sloane and her Kadara and how she still failed to see the poison underneath the blow she had been dealt, underestimating the rival Collective, but Ryder held his tongue. Instead, he wondered if he could at least learn the identity of this Charlatan, if they even had an identity at all. 

At the very least, he could at least be there to make a choice, and see if getting rid of Sloane would mean he let the entire planet jump off the frying pan and into the fire.

"I'll watch your back," Ryder said. He had always been taught to mean things he said, and he's made exceptions before and he'd make an exception again this time.


	2. Chapter 2

"You look like you're waiting for someone," the words echoed through the caves, and he knew the owner of the voice before he'd even stepped out of the shadows.

His heart threatened to leap out of his chest. "Reyes?" he blurted out, gazing up at him with his mouth hanging slightly open in disbelief.

Ryder could not tear his gaze away as the implications of Reyes' presence registered. 

Reyes. Shit. He never would have known, and Reyes would never have told him. 

"I'm here for the Charlatan, not some third-rate smuggler." Sloane's voice dragged him back to the present. 

How she still did not realize the gravity of this situation jarred him. Did she truly believe she could barrel and bully her way through this? It might have been how she got to where she was, but it wasn't how she was going to keep it.

"They're one and the same," Ryder said, calm as he looked up at Reyes' face, searching it for any signs of the man he thought he knew.

"Surprise," Reyes said, a small smirk on his face. Smug bastard looked proud of himself alright.

So many secrets. The weight of them could crush him if he let it. 

"The angaran spy. Your interest in the Roekaar murders. Everything you've done has been to undermine Sloane's power," Ryder said, hands balling into fists. This was what he got for trusting a liar. What had he expected?

"Death by a thousand cuts," was all Reyes had to say to that.

Ryder stood, seized in place by his thoughts as a duel before him unfolded. Sloane stood with the confidence of someone who could never even fathom losing. 

And she might have won, Ryder thought. If she hadn't been too eager to conclude this sorry business with the Collective. If she hadn't been too cocky, underestimating and dismissive of the damage that had already been dealt to her. If she had more people to count on than a Pathfinder whose heart the Charlatan had won.

As it was, Ryder was the only one she had and, even as SAM alerted him of the sniper, he stood by and watched. Because there was an addendum to be made on his list about love. Love twisted people, and despite whatever thoughts he had on what was the right thing to do, abstract concepts like honor and how the means shouldn't justify the end, it didn't matter.

He wouldn't—couldn't—trade Reyes for anything. Not whatever Sloane's life would gain him, not whatever Heleus had to offer.

His feet brought him to Reyes' side before he could think about it. 

"Bang," Reyes said, with a finger gun, before straightening and motioning to his people hiding in the dark. "Get her out of here. Prepare the crew. Kadara Port is ours tonight."

Reyes looked at him, inclining his head deeper into the cave. 

Ryder followed behind him. "Guess you got what you wanted." he said, and it must have sounded like a prompt for an explanation, a balm to soothe whatever was damaged between them with what had just happened, because Reyes had a spiel for him in a heartbeat.

"What I want is peace. Sloane would've brought war to Heleus. We don't have the population to survive that."

It was not what Ryder wanted to hear. His own opinion on Sloane, and the 'mights' and 'would'ves' no longer mattered with what they had just done. No. 

Maybe a more direct question would get him some better answers, at least to better make sense with himself what he had just had to do for Reyes, for them both. "Why didn't you trust me?" 

Reyes stopped in his tracks. He would not meet Ryder's eyes the whole showdown between Sloane, and not now when they could stop for a moment and talk.

Frustration bubbled up inside of Ryder. He could never keep it together as much as he usually could when it came to Reyes, and he needed to coax himself to stand still and wait. 

Reyes soon rewarded his patience when he turned around, the trepidation written on his features as their eyes met. 

He had searched Reyes' features earlier for anything he could recgonize of the man he had shared whiskey with at the rooftops of Kadara Market, but this man in front of him once again turned to someone else, perhaps the someone underneath all those secrets he bore. 

"I liked the way you looked at me. I was afraid that would change," Reyes said and the bare honesty in Reyes' face gave him pause. 

The laughing, cajoling Reyes had been the one Ryder was used to. Never serious, always so easy going, someone who casually sidestepped inquiries about what two kisses during a date meant for the both of them. This new Reyes surprised him, thrilled him even.

He released breath he didn't know he was holding. A simple, short answer, but it was enough for him, more than enough. It wasn't as if he was going to let this go so easily.

"Nothing would have changed," he said, shaking his head with a small quirk of his lips. "Like nothing's changed now."

And as soon as those words left his mouth, the Reyes in front of him changed again. Gone now the open, honest man who just showed him a glimpse of his heart, replaced now by a man of triumph and simmering passion. A charlatan—the Charlatan through and through. 

"You have bad taste in men," Reyes said as he closed the gap between them.

It was all Ryder could do but step back as he let Reyes crowd his space and pull him close as they collided into a kiss. 

Victory tasted sweet, with the peaty smokiness of whiskey and for a long moment, while Reyes' shuttle waited, while his squad waited, Ryder feasted on Reyes' lips, his name on his breath and carded his hands through Reyes' silky hair as Ryder's neck was momentarily nibbled on.

"The worst," he chuckled, turning his head back to dive in for another kiss, and another, until they were both breathless, hearts pounding in excitement. 

Ryder wanted more and he leaned in for another kiss when Reyes rested his forehead on Ryder's. 

"I have a port to takeover," Reyes chided, chuckling as Ryder gripped Reyes' hip. 

Ryder said nothing, but the gleam of lust in his eyes must have communicated enough. "Meet me at Tartarus tonight. It won't take long."

"It better not," Ryder released his hold on Reyes as the man stepped back. 

"I promise," Reyes said, one last, quick kiss and a smile before he turned around and hopped on towards his shuttle. 

Ryder watched him go until the shuttle faded into the horizon. Tonight. He held those words close to his heart. Whatever happened after, what consequences there would be from this decision, Ryder knew he wouldn't regret a single thing.

There he could momentarily admit how little he cared at how all of this was changing him.


End file.
